Why Can’t We Be Friends

Posted on Jan 1, 2010

2010 might already be looking up. North Korea has sent the U.S. a New Year’s message calling for an end to hostility in relations between the two countries and declaring that Pyongyang is committed to making the Korean peninsula nuclear-free. —JCL

The Guardian:

North Korea called for an end to hostile relations with the US in a new year message today and said it was committed to making the Korean peninsula nuclear-free through negotiations.

North Korea has long demanded an end to Washington’s hostility and said it developed nuclear weapons to deter a US attack. Washington has repeatedly said it has no intention of invading the country.

The new year statement brightened prospects of North Korea rejoining stalled international talks on ending its nuclear weapons programmes in exchange for aid and other concessions. Washington has sought to coax it to return to the six-country talks, which include South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.